This worm named Jofobas Morio is the key to awakening hope for plastic, recycling and safe disposal.

Melbourne, Monday, June 13, 2022

Since plastics do not decompose in the soil for decades, there is a great danger of increasing pollution on the earth. Of the world's 300 million tons of plastic produced each year, less than 10 percent is not recycled. The oceans are becoming a dumping ground for plastic pollution due to improper disposal of plastics. According to one source, if plastic continues to be dumped in the world's oceans in this way, by 2050 there will be more pieces of plastic in the water than fish. Numerous experiments are being carried out for the safe disposal of plastics in which the worm that eats the plastic has raised hopes.

Scientists in Australia have discovered a worm called Joffobas moria. This is commonly known as a superworm that originally ate polystyrene. Researchers believe that the species of insect larvae that use plastic as food are proving to be very important in the direction of plastic recycling. According to Chris Rinke of the research team, superworms are like mini-recycling plants that cut polystyrene with a mop and send the bacteria in the gut as food.

A team from Queensland University fed three different groups of superworms over three weeks. In which a group of polystyrene-eating caterpillars gained weight. The team identified enzymes in the intestines of the superworm that were capable of digesting polystyrene and styrene. Scientists are still trying to determine which enzyme is most effective. Therefore, it needs to be used more in recycling.

There has been research on plastic-eating worms in the past. The caterpillar was discovered a few years ago when Spanish scientists were conducting research on parasite paste in bees. Further experiments on caterpillar peculiarities were conducted in collaboration with the Department of Biochemistry.